


Tickles

by captaincastle



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Shyness, Tickle Fights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-15 23:39:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13623912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captaincastle/pseuds/captaincastle
Summary: What if the name "Punisher" originated from somewhere else?





	Tickles

**Author's Note:**

> I'm uploading my old writing, this was the very first Kastle fic I wrote back in March 2016. (I hadn't even finished dds2 before I wrote this!)

Frank was apprehensive. He’d lost so much, and he was worried about finding love again. But he took Karen home anyway. He took her home to his humble apartment after their date. Frank couldn’t bear to go to his house after what had happened to his family, and so he found a small place to live.

Karen gasped when she walked in - it was so empty it shocked her.

“It’s so empty Frank.”

“Not with you in it.”

Her cheeks flushed a little. She was about to speak but only a yawn came out.

“I just got here but I’m so sleepy, I wanna stay,” she sighed, but her yawning kept betraying her.

“So stay. You could uh stay the night. Just to sleep. Don’t know if I’m ready for uh.. but I don’t want you to leave yet.” he could barely get that out.

Karen knew. She understood. She knew Frank wasn’t ready for more intimate things so early in their relationship, but since he was asking her to stay, she couldn’t say no.

She grinned, “I’d be glad to stay over, even though I don’t have any sleep clothes.”

“Follow me.”

He led her to his small bedroom. He opened one of the drawers in his dresser and handed her a t-shirt.

“You can change in there.” he nodded his head in the direction of the bathroom.

She took the shirt and closed the door behind her. She giggled quietly, she felt like a giddy girl in high school. She changed clothes and put on the old US Marines t-shirt he’d given her.

Karen emerged shyly from the bathroom. She kept tugging the shirt down, it just hit the top of her thighs. The bedroom was only lit by a small lamp, and in the dull light Karen could see Frank’s ears redden upon seeing her. Frank saw her cheeks redden, but he was trying not to stare.

She drank in his appearance, he was sitting on the bed and was wearing a tank top and sweatpants. The tank top hugged his abs and chest, and showed off his broad shoulders and arm muscles.

She slowly walked over to him, and Frank thought his heart was going to burst out of his chest. He almost sighed with relief when all she did was turn off the lamp.

Frank leaned back against the headboard. Karen laid next to him, and they both laid still for a moment next to each other. Both wondering if they could touch each other.

Karen touched Frank’s arm, and he jumped. But then he laughed, a small chuckle, but it was still a laugh.

“C’mere.” he said and pulled her into his arms. He broke the ice and held her tight. They spoke softly and chatted for what seemed like hours. Karen stayed to go to sleep, but instead she was being held by Frank and listening to him tell stories.

Every laugh and every sigh and every time she blushed, Frank’s heart swelled. He felt a small pang of guilt that he couldn’t show her what she meant to him physically. It took courage to kiss her. It even took courage to hold her hand. He was using every fiber of courage he had right now just to hold her. It was worth it to him though, because she felt so good in his arms. He wanted to try something, he wanted to try a little more for her.

“You know people call me the Punisher.” he whispered into her hair.

She lifted her head off his chest and looked up at him.

“The Punisher?” she rose an eyebrow.

A big smirk flashed across his face.

“It was something my kids called me.” he laughed.

“Your kids?”

Frank had a hint of sadness in his eyes, but he smiled anyways.

“Yeah…It was a good name, I tickled them when they deserved it, and they said I was the Punisher. Punishing them with tickles, they loved it though. They used to laugh and laugh. They’re giggles were so loud, music to my ears.”

Her face softened hearing him tell her about his kids, something he didn’t do often. She didn’t even realize what was coming. It happened before she could react.

Frank’s hands slid under her t-shirt and tickled her stomach and ribs. Her soft skin was smooth under his calloused hands.

She laughed harder than he’d ever heard her laugh. Her face was flushed dark red from laughing, and feeling his hands on skin.

Another yawn broke through her laughs, and Frank moved his hands out from under her shirt. He pulled her to him again, and held her tight.

“I’m glad you’re here with me. Goodnight Karen.”

“Me too. Goodnight…Punisher.” she teased and snuggled closer into his chest as she finally fell asleep in his tight embrace.

Frank stayed awake for a while longer, he didn’t want to forget what it was like to hold her. He wanted to remember her laugh and the way she smiled, while he still held her. Tomorrow she’d go home, and tonight would only be a memory. Right now he was holding her and she was real. She had made him brave tonight. Showing her affection was terrifying to him, but he was brave tonight for her. He hoped that tonight wouldn’t be the last time he held her. He wanted to keep being brave for her.


End file.
